


As If We Need an Excuse

by systems



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, first fic, probably
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-14
Updated: 2015-03-14
Packaged: 2018-03-17 19:23:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3541103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/systems/pseuds/systems
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Makoto's been busy, the rest of the team (+ Rin) try to make things easier for him, with varied success. </p><p>Flimsy excuse to write MakoRin, tbh.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As If We Need an Excuse

**Author's Note:**

> First fic for Free! (alliteration ftw)
> 
> I blame all the lovely MakoRin writers.

_-Rei-_  
Rei's the first to mention it, and he remains quietly proud of that fact. 

"Makoto-senpai's been working really hard lately," Rei notes when Makoto leaves the roof early one sunny lunch hour to go to the library. 

"Makoto always works hard," Haru says laconically. "He's Makoto." He's positioned himself against the wall and looks to be half-asleep under the heavy rays of the sun. Rei wonders if he should offer him sunscreen. 

"Yeah," Nagisa adds, swiping Makoto's half-finished juice. "Plus he worries. I mean, that's why he takes care of Haru-chan, right? Because he's worried Haru-chan can't take care of himself." 

Haru huffs at that. 

"Not that anyone really thinks that, Haru-chan! It's just how he is, right?" Nagisa hastens to add. "He worries!"

"Stop saying 'worries,'" Haru murmurs. 

"Hm," Rei ponders, tapping his forefinger against his lips. "But who takes care of Makoto-senpai?" 

 

They decide that each should find something nice to do for Makoto in the coming weeks. Mid-terms are coming up, and after that there are a bunch of swimming events, and then they hit this term's final exams. It's going to get stressful, fast. 

Rei decides the best way to help is to make studying more efficient, and he goes about getting notes for Makoto on each of his worst subjects, to give him more help. He puts everything in a color-coded packet, and presents it to Makoto-senpai one day after school. 

"What's this, Rei?" Makoto asks, flipping through the packet, looking perplexed. 

"I've compiled some notes for you to study for the upcoming exams," Rei tells him. "I obtained a more detailed syllabus for your English class that shows what will be emphasized on the exams. I also asked my track team senpais for notes from science and math. The green section is for science, the blue for math. I chose purple for English because I know you don't like the subject and purple is a very soothing color. Oh, and the most important points are marked with colored tabs."

The smile he gets from Makoto is brilliant and heart-warming, the gentle teasing at practice less so. 

"There is nothing dorky about being organized, Nagisa-kun!" 

"Sure, Rei-chan."

 

 _-Nagisa-_  
A few days later, Nagisa pulls Haru aside before practice. "Haru-chan, I'm bringing Mako-chan's lunch tomorrow. Make sure he doesn't bring one, okay?" 

Haru stares at him for a while, looking a little wary. "Makoto needs protein, so don't bring all sugar," he says, finally, and then slips past and into the locker room to change. 

"Right!" Nagisa says. He goes over his mental list of foods. "There's protein in dairy products, right? So if I get strawberry milk, it should be okay." 

 

"Mako-chan! I have a lunch for you today. I prepared it myself!" Nagisa says, presenting the bento with a flourish. "It has all the major food groups, because Rei insisted," he adds, rolling his eyes. "There's Iwatobi-chan bread, and strawberry pudding, and strawberry protein rice with spinach--"

"Strawberry protein rice?" Makoto echoes. He exchanges a wary look with Haru. "Um, Nagisa, what-- why-- you didn't have to! My mom made me a bento today!" He pulls out two bento boxes from his bag, and hands one to Haru-chan. 

"Haru-chaaaan," Nagisa whines. "You were supposed to make sure Mako-chan forgot his lunch!" 

Haru just shrugs, and Nagisa sinks into his seat with a pout. 

"Nagisa, it's fine!" Makoto is quick to reassure him. "We'll all share! I can't eat so much sugar at lunch, my stomach isn't as strong as yours! So it's better this way. Thank you for being so thoughtful!" 

Nagisa nods, mollified. "There are some chocolate croissants, too," he says, and the interested way Makoto peers into the box is pretty satisfying, really. "Let's eat!" 

 

 _-Gou-_  
"Gou-chan, do you have an idea, yet?" Nagisa asks. He and Rei have arrived and changed, but Haruka-senpai and Makoto-senpai haven't shown up for practice yet. Their class must be running over again. 

"Kou. No, I don't." She shakes her head. 

"Hm." Nagisa makes a face. "What can Gou-chan--"

"Kou!"

"--do for Mako-chan that no one else can? She's the only girl, so," Nagisa taps his chin for a moment. "Oh! I know!" 

"Nagisa-kun!" Rei cuts in sharply. "That is hardly an appropriate thing to suggest!"

Nagisa cocks his head. "I didn't make a suggestion?" He looks to Gou, who shrugs. "What -- oh. **Oh.** Rei-chan, that's so naughty! I'm so proud of you!" 

Gou frowns when Nagisa tackles Rei. "Oh, whatever," she sighs. "I'll just call onii-chan."

 

 _-Rin-_  
"What do you mean, help take care of Makoto?" Rin asks. "What happened?" He waves off a couple of guys who'd wanted to talk after class. "My sister," he mouths, and when they nod in understanding he heads off toward his dorm. 

"Nothing happened," Gou says. "He's just been super busy and we were all thinking he could use a break. Rei got him study notes, and Nagisa made him lunch--"

"You let Nagisa make him food," Rin repeats flatly. "That seems unnecessarily cruel." 

"It was pretty gross," his sister admits. "All sugar, and nothing good for his swimming or muscle development! And I can't think of anything. What do you think?" 

"And Haru?" he asks. "Is he doing anything?" 

Gou hums. "I guess I don't remember. Maybe he said he'd take care of the twins on a Saturday? It was something like that." 

"Okay," Rin says, propping his phone between his ear and his shoulder while he keys open the door. "Get Haru to commit to a day, preferably a Saturday afternoon, and I'll take Makoto out to do something fun. It's been a while since I've seen him, anyway. Maybe we can go to the mall or something." A blast of cool air hits him when he pushes open the door; Nitori's left the window open again. He drops his books on his bed so he can pull the window shut. "You know, maybe this Saturday would be good. Ask Haru, okay? Then text me."

"Thanks, onii-chan!" Gou sighs. "That'd help a lot. Oh, maybe you should take him for karaoke, though. Did you know he can sing? I heard him singing in the shower the other day--"

"What do you mean, in the shower?" Rin growls. "Gou, you can't just follow them into the locker rooms." 

"I didn't," she says, sounding amused at his distress. "The locker room at school echoes, and we have to keep the door propped open right now until they fix the lock. I was waiting outside because we had to talk about the new training regimen, and I could hear him. He's got a nice voice," she adds thoughtfully. 

"Better than mine?" Rin asks.

"Yes," Gou says, without any hesitation at all, and honestly, Rin is a little offended. "Thanks, onii-chan!" 

"Sure, whatever," he mutters. "Just tell Haru to be free this Saturday. I need to come home to do laundry anyway." 

Gou laughs. "I'll tell Mom to get the machine ready. See you!" 

"Yeah, okay," Rin says, tossing his phone onto his bunk. 

He starts throwing his laundry into his duffel bag. He might as well be ready to head home on Friday. He makes sure to throw his favorite hoodie into the pile; he'll wear that on Saturday. Maybe his new bracelets, too. 

 

As promised, Haru takes care of the twins on Saturday. Rin spends the morning at home. He does his laundry - despite his sister's teasing, he doesn't make his mother do it - and a few other odd jobs that Gou or their mother point out to him. He texts Makoto to meet him at the train station at 2:00, then showers before heading over. The train pulls in just after the hour, and Rin finds Makoto outside the gates. 

"Come on, Mako," Rin says gruffly. He hurriedly tugs him back through the gate and onto the train before it can leave without them. 

"Oh, I thought you were coming over," Makoto says, once they're standing on the train. He looks a little bewildered. "Where are we going?" 

"Out," Rin shrugs. "No big deal." 

Makoto nods, looking a little lost, but then his eyes widen. "Wait, Rin, I'm supposed to watch the twins later!" he says, panicked. 

"I know. Haru's going to cover for you," Rin says casually. 

"He didn't say anything to me," Makoto says. "Are you sure he's going to?" 

Rin nods firmly. "I had Gou arrange it, and she texted him this morning to remind him." 

Makoto looks taken aback, but then he smiles delightedly. 

"He really didn't tell you?"

"No!" Makoto shakes his head. "This is such a surprise! Thanks, Rin!" 

Rin fights the blush rising on his cheeks. It's not fair; Makoto's smile shouldn't be so disarming. "Don't thank me," he mutters. "Thank Haru. He's the one covering for you." 

Makoto smiles. "Hm. Do you have exams right now, too?" 

"Samezuka's always having exams," he grouses, sinking into a seat. He tugs on Makoto's arm when he doesn't follow. "Sit, you." 

Laughing, Makoto sits next to him. Rin feels warm where their thighs touch, and he wonders if that's Makoto, or him. 

 

Turns out, Makoto really can sing. Not that he thought Gou was lying, or anything. He even sings a song or two in English, and though Rin has to admit his pronunciation needs work, he can't find it in himself to laugh at him. 

 

For dinner, they go to a new curry place on the far side of town. It's Indian curry, and they try several dishes. Rin's favorite is really spicy, and Makoto laughingly complains that he can't taste it because it just sets his mouth on fire. 

"You're such a wimp, Mako," Rin teases as they walk to the cashier. "No, shove over, I'm paying."

"You don't have to!" Makoto protests, and Rin just nudges him aside. 

"That was good," he says as they walk outside. It's gotten late quickly; the street lights are on and the sun's just slipping past the horizon. 

"Huh," Makoto breathes out a laugh. "Rin, this is almost like a date, isn't it? First karaoke, and now you bought me dinner. Got something to tell me?" 

His tone is light and joking, and he nudges Rin playfully. All the same, Rin feels his face growing warm. 

"I just wanted to take you out." 

"Like on a date," Makoto teases, seeing Rin's embarrassment and missing the point. 

"Okay, it's a date then. We're on a date." Rin says it decisively, as if by bluster alone he can stave off the vulnerability he feels fast approaching. Makoto looks startled for a moment, but then he smiles. 

"Rinrin is a fun date," he says with a sly little smile, and Rin swears internally at how much hotter his face becomes. It's really unfair that Makoto can unsettle him like this. "What's next?" 

"I don't know, do I?" Rin blurts without thinking, "This is my first date!" Makoto laughs, and Rin makes a face. "What would you do next?"

Makoto's grin softens into a look of studied concentration. "It's my first, too. Maybe we should go somewhere we can talk. Like the ice cream parlor?"

"We talked over dinner," Rin scoffs. "This sounds more like an interview than a date."

"What do you think, then?" Makoto asks, amused. 

Rin considers. It's a nice night. The wind is blowing off the sea, but it's only a little cool, and they both have sweatshirts. "Let's go for a walk by the beach."

"Rinrin is such a romantic," Makoto teases. 

"Shut it," Rin scowls. 

"I'm being swept off my feet," he gushes. 

"Oh my god, shut up," Rin says, and shoves Makoto away from him. He stumbles a little, but he's laughing and Rin can't help the snort that pushes out of him, and suddenly the embarrassment that had him by the throat bubbles into laughter and they both stumble along the beach, each trying to stop laughing only to be set off by the other's giggles. It's ridiculous, and oh, Rin loves it so much. 

Makoto gets the hiccups and they stop at a vending machine for bottles of water. Rin leans against a stone wall, and Makoto stands next to him, valiantly trying to hold his breath long enough to stop the hiccups. It doesn't work, and every time he does hiccup he looks startled, like Winnie used to look when she sneezed. It shouldn't be cute, but then Makoto has always been an exception. 

_I haven't been this happy in years,_ Rin thinks. _I don't know if I've ever been this happy._ "What?" he asks, when he notices Makoto watching him. His hiccups seem to have finally subsided. 

"Is this really a date?" Makoto asks. He's rubbing at his neck, only glancing shyly at Rin, as though he's not able to maintain eye contact. 

Rin looks at him steadily. His heart is pounding against his ribs, but he manages to sound impressively calm. "It is, yeah." 

Makoto nods. "Then, I can," he trails off. He steps closer, and places his hand on Rin's shoulder. Rin thinks maybe he's going for the world's slowest hug ever when his left hand hovers hesitantly over Rin's other shoulder. 

Chuckling, Makoto reaches instead to tap Rin on the nose. "What's with that face?" 

"What's with the slow-motion scene?" Rin retorts. Makoto's smile drops a little. 

"Guess I'm just nervous," he admits. 

Rin pulls at Makoto's arm until they're fully facing each other, with several inches between them. It's too much, and not enough. "Oh," he says dazedly. 

"Oh?" 

"I get the nervousness." He does, and it gets worse every minute, every second. Delaying is giving them both too much time to think, so Rin jerks Makoto forward, bodies colliding. 

"Rin," Makoto breathes. "I wanna kiss you."

"So do it already," Rin says, trying to find the confidence he usually had when he imagined their first kiss. "Idiot."

Makoto laughs, really laughs, and though Rin would like to scowl at him for laughing, he really can't help his smile. 

"What's funny?" 

"You're so -- Rin," Makoto says, leaning in to press his smile to Rin's lips. 

"Is that good?" he asks between soft kisses, staccato against his skin. 

Makoto hums. It makes Rin's lips buzz. "Very."

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and critiques are welcome.


End file.
